The Oscar-winning director, who won the festival's top prize 33 years ago for his 1969 film The Rain People, was given the award as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

He told the people gathered at Saturday's open-air party of concerts and theatre performances he had not forgotten how the festival helped his early career.

"I came here 33 years go with a lot of insecurity and two children - now I return with the same insecurity, but you are giving me the necessary energy to finish the script I'm working on," he said.

Prize

Coppola is famed for being behind The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

The San Sebastian festival, which ends on 28 September, will attract more than 200,000 filmgoers to 233 films.

It will see 18 films compete for its prize - the Golden Shell - including Mexico's box-office success El Crimen del padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro) by Carlos Carrera; Neil Jordan's A Good Thief and the lone American entry, Paul Shrader's Auto Focus.